Carbon Clear News

Media headlines about climate change are largely focused on problems, obstacles and challenges. Bad news sells, right? One of the most covered news story of 2017 is Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement – and it's right that it should get so much attention because it’s a big deal.

Last Friday (21st July) saw Michael Gove make his first keynote speech as Environment Secretary. It would be safe to say that his appointment to the role was not universally welcomed and in some quarters actively feared. So, what does his first speech tell us about his intentions for his new role and the impact of Brexit on environmental policy in the UK?

2017: Hottest Year on Record?

Earlier this year it was widely reported that 2016 had been the hottest year ever. This week the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its annual statement on the state of the global climate, confirming that 2016 was indeed the hottest year on record. The report states that 2016 was a full 1.1°C above the pre-industrial baseline, breaking the 2015 record by 0.06°C.

I’ve not set resolutions this year. However, this year I have decided that I’d like to not take certain things with me into 2017. I’d like to leave the negative aspects of 2016 behind and focus on the now.

The climate is changing, and will continue to change, as a result of increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Regardless of how quickly we reduce our emissions, a certain amount of change is now inevitable, and there will be implications for society and the businesses that serve it. Clearly, the faster we can cut emissions the lower the impact will be, but we’re now in an era of balancing action to mitigate our emissions with our plans to adapt to changes that are around the corner.

President Obama’s eighth and final State of the Union address firmly focused on climate change. The president has been committed to action on climate change throughout his second term. By including climate change in his speech, he cements his legacy as that of a leader committed to mitigating as much as possible the risks from rising global temperatures. Furthermore, Obama called upon the nation to not “pass up the chance for American businesses to produce and sell the energy of the future”, citing investments in renewable energy such as wind and solar reducing energy costs, and stimulating the green economy.